CENTER BOARD WON’T TAKE BACK MARKETING

Board members of the San Diego Convention Center Corp. have decided not to grant Mayor Bob Filner’s request that it take back marketing of the facility from the city’s tourism bureau.

Filner, in a letter sent to the board chairman last month, said the decision by the City Council last year to hand over to the Tourism Authority the responsibility of luring conventions here was not in the best interests of the taxpayers.

The board, however, heeding the advice of its attorney, said Wednesday that it had no cause to break its four-year contract with the tourism agency, formerly known as the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

A letter will be sent to Filner explaining its decision, pointing out that because the Tourism Authority continues “to perform consistent with the terms of the contract, we are pleased to continue our positive working relationship,” the board decided.

Last year, the convention center board and the council approved transferring marketing authority over the center to the city’s Tourism Authority, which has heavy representation from the hotel industry. The city’s hoteliers, before agreeing last year to help finance the expansion of the convention center via a new hotel tax, had made it clear to then-Mayor Jerry Sanders that they could not support the new levy without having more control over the center’s bookings.